Let’s be real, today has been an intense shock to the system as we have all graced our offices following on from a serene bank holiday. With this in mind, we present you with the soothing sounds of Bailey Tomkinson. Dropping “Deja Vu”, the artist treats us to a country twang and the sweet trickle of acoustic instrumentation, culminating in a track sure to transport you away from the qualms of the working week. And, with a new EP on the way too, it becomes clear that Bailey is making 2022 her year.
When discussing the new track, the artist explained, “‘Deja Vu’ is very much rooted in my Kernowfornia sound – I wanted it to evoke the spirit of the surf and sun-soaked romance, dreams and endless possibility. It’s about a feeling that something can be new and exciting but also strangely nostalgic. I was heavily inspired by Mazzy Star and The Cardigans for the sound of this single, it gives me summertime vibes.”
Ahead of the release of her upcoming EP, the artist sat down with Wonderland to discuss how her upbringing in Cornwall has informed her sound and the thoughts and feelings behind “Deja Vu”. Head below to enjoy our interview with Bailey Tomkinson…
Hey Bailey, how are you? How has this past year been for you?
I’m great, thank you! Life’s been a bit of a mad rush recently though, in a good way. I feel like I’m never at home at the moment. Just got back from the first leg of tour, which was so exciting and I am preparing for a summer of touring and festivals with the band and finally releasing our EP “California Fire” which feels like it’s taken forever to come out.
Talk us through your music journey, what sparked the interest?
Emmy Kate Montrose from Kenickie, who is a family friend, actually taught me my first chord when I was about six years old on my plastic electric guitar; she’s awesome. I’m not from an industry connected family, so this kind of occasion was very unusual for someone like me. It’s also a very cool story to tell. Since around that age, I knew what I wanted to do which feels weird to say because I was like seriously young! I wrote my first song when I was 11 and pretty much started performing from then, anywhere that would let me, even if that meant convincing the teachers to let me perform at the school rock concerts with the older students. I’ve always romanticised life, so I knew I’d do something creative however music had always been my outlet. So it’s been a very natural life decision growing into this industry.
And where are you from? Do you think your hometown has inspired you in any way?
I’m from St Ives in Cornwall, UK. My music has definitely been influenced by my surroundings and the people in my community. Cornwall has quite a famous surf community and that’s something I’ve really tried to incorporate into my music, especially in my upcoming EP, it’s pretty surf-rock. When I was like fourteen, I’d go to writer’s rounds at the pub and sit in a circle jamming with old guys who loved artists like Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles, this kind of music definitely shaped my writing and the narrative in my lyrics.
And now you’ve dropped your new single “Deja Vu”, talk us through your mindset going into the single?
“Deja Vu” is very much rooted in my Kernowfornia sound – I wanted it to evoke the spirit of the surf and sun-soaked romance, dreams and endless possibility. It’s about a feeling that something can be new and exciting but also strangely nostalgic. I was heavily inspired by Mazzy Star and The Cardigans for the sound of this single, it gives me summertime vibes.
It was produced by Gareth Young, what was it like working together?
G is a legend! I’ve been working with him since I recorded my first demos when I was about 16. We came into the studio with a real vision for the tracks, and he helped us bring them to life! We then went in to see the wonderful John Cornfield who mixed and mastered the EP.
And it’s taken from your forthcoming EP “California Fire” what can we expect?
I’m so proud of this EP! The material has been worked on so hard and really gigged before we even took it into the studio. It’s a step in a new direction for me, something I’ve been working towards for years. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve definitely grown and developed a sound with help from my band, I’d describe it as surf-rock meets folk, we wanted to create a sound that felt like us and where we’re from, Cornwall has such a big surf community I really wanted to capture that in my music as it’s so important to me. All the artists who influence me have a distinct sound. For example, you could walk in a cafe and know Stevie Nicks was on the radio without knowing what song it was, that’s what we’ve really tried to do.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
I think the most important thing to me is relatability. All of my favourite music and artists have one thing in common and it’s their relatable lyrics, those songs that make you really think and feel something, it’s like they’re reading your mind. I’d love to be able to do this for people, just like my favourite artists did for me.
Who would you say inspires you?
I’m always inspired by great writers, not so much the throwaway artificial type of music that is more popular these days. A lot of my favourite music is from the 1970s-1990s. One album I’ve been really inspired by for the past couple of years is Long Gone Before Daylight by The Cardigans, especially when recording the EP. Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Carole King are a few artists that also have a massive space in my heart. There is a lot of awesome music that’s coming out too. I think Sam Fender, Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers are wicked!
What are you most excited for? What’s next?
This summer is going to be epic! Alongside the EP, we’ve got loads of shows and festivals. I’ll be finishing up the tour at venues like Rough Trade in Bristol as I’m writing this. I’m actually in Brighton having just played here at The Folklore Rooms last night. Our EP launch party at The Old Bakery Studios is next week and is aiming for a sell out too! We thought we’d do the launch party in Kernowfornia as it’s our motherland. We’ll be performing at festivals like Wilderness, The Great Escape and Wavelength’s Surf Classic too! And I’ll be in the studio with BJ Jackson too recording the next singles, I have a really good feeling about 2022.
